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NEWS AND NOTES
-For the CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK VIDEO NOTEBOOK: DAY 4 – CLICK HERE
-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day between Toledo and Central Michigan – CLICK HERE
-Oklahoma State knocked off Oklahoma in another thriller to complete the season sweep. Oklahoma State is now looking like a potential protected seed. There are, in fact, seven teams in the Big Twelve within reach of a protected seed, and that is just insane!!!
-Saint Bonaventure needed to hold serve the rest of the way, and failed to do that last night with the loss to Dayton. When you categorically look at the Bonnies, there are a lot of indicators to suggest they will be selected. Their metrics are high, they have some decent (but not great) wins, and for the most part they’ve avoided bad losses. But, having played so few games they are still hard to evaluate.
-Rutgers was blown off the court by Nebraska in what had to be one of the more surprising losses of the season. Nebraska isn’t good, and losing to them on the road in and of itself would be a setback, but not necessarily alarming. Getting blown out by them is really surprising. I don’t think Rutgers is in any real trouble of missing the field, but their upcoming game against Minnesota now seems a lot more important.
-North Carolina trailed for most of the game against Syracuse, and while they came roaring back late and actually had a chance to win, they couldn’t get it done. North Carolina is just 3-7 on the road, and while I still think they are (barely) on the right side of the bubble, there are reasons to leave them out. Some are saying this was a big win for Syracuse, and it was, but still…it came against a team that’s 3-7 on the road. That’s not the kind of win that’s going to make me anoint anyone as a tournament team.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-BAYLOR AT WEST VIRGINIA (Big 12). This is a match-up between a Baylor team that appears to be on the #1 line (despite them coming off their first loss of the season), and a West Virginia team that’s trying to get up to the #1 line. WVU has a path to get there, but it probably needs to involve winning today.
-ARKANSAS AT SOUTH CAROLINA (SEC). Arkansas has had a great couple of weeks and has gone from looking like they were outside the bubble to looking like a potential protected seed. They need to pick up another road win today and keep that momentum going.
-ILLINOIS AT MICHIGAN (Big Ten). This is the second game today where we have a team that looks like they are on the #1 line (Michigan) and a team that can play their way up to the #1 line (Illinois). This one should be a great game. If Michigan can win out they may have a claim to the overall #1 seed given the strength of their schedule.
-AUBURN AT ALABAMA (SEC). It’s a rivalry game, but it also appears to be a bit of a mismatch. Alabama is a solid protected seed and will likely end up on the #2 line if they can finish strong and play like they have been over the past several weeks.
-TEXAS AT IOWA STATE (Big 12). Texas is in a bit of a tailspin, but they are a long way from panic mode. They have some low hanging fruit tonight and they need to take advantage of what should be a very winnable conference road game.
-TCU AT TEXAS TECH (Big 12). Texas Tech is in great shape and still has a good chance of ending up as a protected seed. They need to hold serve in games like this, though.
-FRESNO STATE AT BOISE STATE (Mountain West). Boise State is coming off two straight losses, and while both were close games, and while they’re not in any trouble so long as they hold serve, they also need to make damn sure they hold serve!
-XAVIER AT GEORGETOWN (Big East). Xavier is hovering around the bubble and needs to get this win tonight. It’s a conference road win, and road wins can help solidify their resume.
-INDIANA AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten). This is a very bubblicious game. Both teams really need this. Michigan State has been playing better and is probably in better shape than the Hoosiers, but both teams are kind of drowning right now and need this win to get their heads above the water.
-DUKE AT GEORGIA TECH (ACC). This is another bubblicious game that both teams really need to win. Georgia Tech is one of our last teams in, and Duke is out of our field and needs to string some wins together down the stretch to get on the right side of the bubble.
-VANDERBILT AT LSU (SEC). LSU is in relatively good shape and will stay that way so long as they hold serve. That would mean not losing games like this one.
-WISCONSIN AT PURDUE (Big Ten). Purdue just keeps getting better and better and they now appear to be within striking distance of a protected seed. A win tonight would be another step forward. Wisconsin appears to be safely in the field barring a collapse, but a win like this would certainly help move them up the seedlist.
-MEMPHIS AT SOUTH FLORIDA (American). Memphis has been playing really well lately, but they still need to pretty much win out and beat Houston in the process in order to land inside the bubble. They do have a path, but it is a tough one.
-KENTUCKY AT OLE MISS (SEC). Ole Miss is another bubble team that’s trying to hold serve. Kentucky has been playing better so while the Wildcats seemingly need to win the SEC Tournament to make the field, Ole Miss can’t take this win for granted.
Under the Radar Game of the Day – Wednesday, March 3
Abilene Christian at Stephen F Austin, 9:00 PM Eastern, espn+
For the final time as members of the Southland conference (with both of these schools slated to move to the WAC next season), Abilene Christian is travelling to Stephen F Austin tonight with the Wildcats looking for their first eve way in Nacogdoches and their first ever season sweep of the Lumberjacks. The game also will have huge ramifications on the battle for the top two seeds in the Southland tournament (those two teams getting a bye to the semifinals) and the quest for the regular season championship.
Abilene Christian enters play tonight at 11-2 in SLC play and 19-4 overall. They are part of a four-way tie in the loss column atop the Southland standings with SFA, Sam Houston State and Nicholls State, though first place could have been theirs outright but for an upset loss last time out at Central Arkansas. Kolton Kohl, Joe Pleasant and Coryon Mason are all averaging double figures in scoring for the Wildcats. Kohl led the way with 20 points in ACU’s 82-62 win over SFA back on January 27.
Stephen F Austin currently sits at 12-2 in Southland play and 15-4 overall. The Lumberjacks, who are ineligible for the Southland and NCAA tournaments due to an APR ban, could also have been in first place on their own but for an upset loss over this past weekend at Lamar, though they did bounce back Monday night to win at Central Arkansas. Gavin Kensmil leads the way for SFA averaging team highs in points (15.7) and rebounds (7.3) per game. Cameron Johnson, Roti Ware and David Kachelries are all double-digit scorers as well. Johnson had the best game for the Lumberjacks when these two teams last met, scoring 13 points and pulling down 15 rebounds. He and his teammates will need to be even better tonight if they want to claim at least a share of the Southland regular season title in their final year in the conference.